DADDY  DO-FUNNYS 
WISDOM  JINGLES 


UC-NRLF 


RUTH  M9ENERY  STUART 


DADDY  DOFUNNY'S 
WISDOM  JINGLES 

BY 

RUTH  McENEKY  STUART 
ILLUSTRATED  BY  G.  H.  CLEMENTS 


NEW  YORK 

THE  CENTURY  CO. 

1916 


Copyright,  1910,  1911,  1912,  1913,  by 
THE  CENTURY  Co. 


Published,  October,  zgrj 


MA 


To  the  Memory  of  those  faithful  brown 
slave- men  of  the  plantations  throughout  the 
South,  Daddy's  contemporaries  all  who  during 
the  war  while  their  masters  were  away  fight 
ing  in  a  cause  opposed  to  their  emancipation, 
brought  their  blankets  and  slept  outside  their 
mistresses'  doors,  thus  keeping  night-watch 
over  otherwise  unprotected  women  and  chil 
dren — a  faithful  guardianship  of  which  the 
annals  of  those  troublous  times  record  no 
instance  of  betrayal. 


4  IV  r,  4 


FOREWORD 

In  presenting  a  loyal  and  venerable  ex-slave  as  an  artless  ex 
ponent  of  freedom,  freedom  of  conduct  as  well  as  of  speech,  the 
author  of  this  trivial  volume  is  perhaps  not  composing  an  individual 
so  truly  as  individualizing  a  composite,  if  the  expression  will  pass. 

The  grizzled  brown  dispenser  of  homely  admonitions  is  a  figure 
not  unfamiliar  to  those  who  have  "moved  in  plantation  circles"  in 
the  cotton  and  sugar  country,  and  touched  hands  with  the  kindly 
dark  survivors  of  the  old  regime. 

If  the  man,  Daddy  Do-funny,  was  unique  as  an  individual,  per 
haps  in  the  very  fact  of  an  individuality  unembarrassed  by  the 
limitations  of  convention,  of  education  and  of  precedent,  he  becomes 
in  a  sense  typical  of  his  people  and  of  his  time. 

Of  course,  a  man  is  not  called  Do-funny  for  nothing,  not  even 
playfully  and  in  the  free  vernacular  of  rusticity  at  its  freest. 

One  of  a  small  community  of  superannuated  pensioners  upon 
the  bounty  of  their  former  owners,  Daddy  was  easily  first  citizen  of 
Evergreen  annex  on  Crepe  Myrtle  plantation,  which  is  to  say  he 
was  therein  a  personage  of  place  and  of  privilege,  coming  and 
going  at  will,  doing  as  he  pleased,  and  as,  with  uplifted  eye,  he 
reverently  boasted,  "sponsible  to  nobody  but  Almighty  Gord  for 
manners  and  behavior." 

Even  so  late  as  this  year  of  grace,  a  full  half  century  after 
"emancipation,"  there  are  still  to  be  found  on  many  of  the  larger 
plantations  in  the  far  South  a  few  such  members  of  the  order  of  the 
Rocking-chair,  whose  records  of  "good  and  honorable  service" 
reach  back  through  periods  of  bondage,  even  such  kindergartners  as 
septuagenarians  in  the  privileged  class,  having  clear  title  to  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  century  of  slave  memories;  not  to  mention  the  occasional 
centenarian  with  even  his  semi-occasional  uncle  or  father  poking 
around,  toothless  and  white-plumed  dignitaries,  these,  sometimes 


with  leaders,  being  blind,  but  ever  important  in  pride  of  association 
and  memory. 

It  is  something  even  if  one  is  bent  double  and  may  never  again 
behold  the  light  of  day,  to  be  able  to  reach  back  into  a  dim  and 
forgotten  past  and  to  say,  "  I  remember/'  especially  when  the 
memory  recalls  days  of  brilliance  and  of  importance. 

But  Daddy's  place  among  the  gentle  Knights  and  Ladies  of  the 
Rocking-chair  was  far  and  away  above  such  as  these  whose  thoughts, 
alert  though  they  were  and  loyal  travelled  forever  backward  to  the 
sweet  but  worn  fields  of  memory  where  every  pleasure  is  a  recog 
nition  and  fashions  do  not  change — a  restful  retreat  for  dreamers 
whose  days  of  activity  are  done. 

But  Daddy's  mind  worked  forward  and  upward  and  although 
he  did  not  know  the  alphabet  excepting  by  rote,  a  common  ante- 
bellum  plantation  accomplishment,  and  while  professing  high  con- 
tempt  for  what  he  called  "cold  shelf- knowledge,"  his  reputation  for 
wisdom,  wisdom  as  gleaned  in  observation  and  experience  and 
"ripened  by  insight,"  was  supreme,  while  his  way  of  casually  tossing 
it  off  in  bits  in  playful  epigram  finally  gave  the  word  its  plural  form 
so  that  the  expression  "Do-Funny  Wisdoms"  came  into  familiar  use. 

As  an  example  of  his  rambling  talk,  much  of  which  seems  at 
least  semivagarious  on  transcription,  1  recall  one  of  his  meandering 
dissertations  on  the  value  of  experience  as  superior  to  observation. 

Several  of  the  old  people,  his  neighbors,  had  joined  the  listening 
children  who  surrounded  him  under  the  fig-tree,  and  perhaps  he 
unconsciously  deterred  to  them  in  his  accent  of  their  common  pos 
session  in  length  of  days,  although  he  gave  no  sign  of  heed  to  any 
audience,  when  he  said : 

"  Dey's  mighty  few  facts  de  same  behind  an'  befo',  not  to  say 
inside  an'  outside,  and  a  man  can  go  roun'  an'  roun'  de  blackberry 
bush  an'  not  git  nowhar.  'Spe'unce  is  a  thorny  bramble,  an'  yer 
'bleeged  to  go  th'ough  it,  to  draw  blood,  an',  I  tell  yer,  de  blood  is 
de  life!" 

Although  this  tribute  brought  grunts  of  approval  from  the  gray 
heads,  Daddy  was  soon  off  at  a  tangent  in  playful  fancy,  hitting  off 


a  foible  or  "celebrating  truth  and  justice"  in  one  of  the  unconscious 
epigrams  which  it  is  sought  herein  to  preserve,  even  when  having 
occasionally  to  hammer  them  into  shape,  for,  while  Daddy  was 
almost  unerring  in  rhyme,  his  rhythm,  never  at  fault  in  delivery,  was 
strictly  a  temperamental  matter,  not  adequately  renderable  in  cold  print. 

But  more  than  as  philosopher,  satirist  or  seer  was  the  old  man 
distinguished  as  a  social  factor  on  the  place.  Wherever  his  chair 
was  set,  there  were  the  children  gathered  together,  both  black  and 
white,  eager  listeners  to  his  quaint  pictorial  recitals,  even  seeming  to 
cherish  the  "Wisdoms"  which  fell  from  his  tongue,  as  is  not  a 
common  way  with  children,  who  seem  instinctively  to  spurn  the 
obviously  didactic. 

But  Daddy's  moralizing,  besides  its  saving  grace  of  imagery,  was 
generally  sequential  and  convincing;  while  his  repartee,  to  use  a 
word  which  seems  almost  a  misfit  in  this  rural  setting,  had  a  way  of 
hitting  the  mark  and  striking  fire,  as  when,  in  reply  to  the  question 
from  a  forth-putting  youngster  on  one  occasion,  "  Where  do  you 
keep  all  your  wisdoms,  Daddy?"  he  snapped: 

"In  my  ole  toof  holes,  dat's  whar!  Wisdoms  don't  ripen  good 
tel  yo'  toofs  is  ready  to  drap  out.  Ev'rybody  knows  dat  Gord 
A'mighty  ain't  nuver  is  set  but  one  live  VVisdorrvtoof  in  a  man's 
mouf — an'  dat  comes  late  an'  goes  early." 

And  then  he  added  with  a  mischievous  smile : 

"You-all  smarty  undergrowth,  you  ain't  chawed  life  yit.  You 
jes  'speramintin'  wid  yo'  milk-toofs. 

"Now's  yo'  havin'  time,  chillen,  but  to  have  an'  to  lose,  dot's  life! 

"Study  wisdom  now  an'  minch  on  it  good  wid  yo  yo'ng  baby 
toofs  an'  hoi'  fas'  to  it,  so's  it'll  meller  down  ripe,  time  de  caverns 
opens  for  it. 

"But  look  out !  I  knows  a  lot  o'  ole  vacant  wisdom  caves  for  rent 
behin'  dis  crepe  myrtle  hedge — so,  I  say,  watch  and  pray!  Pray  for 
insight  an'  outsight !  An'  even  so,  dey's  some  wisdoms  so  fine  you 
can't  see  'em  tel  you  nearin'  Home  an'  livin'  on  de  far  side  o'  life ! " 

Daddy  lived  alone  in  a  tiny  vine-clad  cabin  and  there  were 
times  when  he  seemed  frail  and  to  need  care,  and  the  doctor  said 


he  was  rheumatic.  This,  however,  he  denied,  declining  compan- 
ionship  while  he  insisted  that  the  sharp  pains  which  occasionally 
twisted  his  brow  were  only  growing  pains  which  he  was  glad  to 
endure  as  not  having  got  his  growth  in  his  first  childhood,  he  was 
"'bleeged  to  wrastle  wid  it  in  de  second,"  and,  "of  course,"  he 
added,  "  it  comes  harder  when  a  man's  bones  is  set/' 

On  days  when  his  pains  were  bad,  he  would  propel  himself 
around  in  a  roller-chair,  which  he  called  his  chariot ;  and  although 
evidently  suffering,  he  was  never  heard  to  complain.  Once,  when 
he  seemed  almost  helpless,  some  one  asked  him  how  he  had  got  into 
the  chair,  and  was  quickly  silenced  by  his  ready  answer,  "Gord 
lifted  me  in !" 

Now,  to  Daddy  clothes  were  clothes.  In  dress  as  in  manners, 
he  knew  no  obligation  of  precedent ;  and  as  to  fashion,  the  word 
made  him  chuckle. 

When  his  pains  were  unusually  severe  and  it  was  difficult  for 
him  to  get  into  his  own  garments,  he  did  not  hesitate  to  clothe  him 
self  in  one  of  the  flowing  wrappers  which  his  old  wife,  Judy,  long 
since  dead,  had  worn. 

And  thus  it  happened  that  while  on  some  days  an  aged  man 
might  have  been  seen  hobbling  about,  working  among  his  plants, 
on  others  there  appeared  to  be  an  old  woman  propelling  herself 
around  in  a  rolling  chair;  and  seeing  her,  his  neighbors,  with  perhaps 
a  chuckle,  would  remark,  "  I  see  Daddy  Do-funny  is  laid  up  ag'in !  " 

Another  peculiar  habit  of  the  old  man  was  the  way  in  which 
he  took  his  bath — a  dangerous  process,  one  would  think,  for  a 
rheumatic,  but  harmless,  no  doubt,  to  growing  pains.  Seeing  the 
rain  coming,  he  would  exclaim:  "Gord  sendeth  de  rain!  He's 
offerin'  me  a  bath — just  or  unjust!"  Then  donning  his  "bath- 
slip,"  an  old  wool  wrapper  of  Judy's  and  getting  into  his  roller- 
chair,  he  would  wheel  out  and  sit  calmly  in  the  shower,  often 
closing  his  eyes  and  lifting  his  face  as  he  exclaimed:  "Bless  Gord 
for  de  sweet  drops !  Bless  Gord  for  de  rain !  "  and  when  he  had 
had  bath  enough,  he  would  either  put  up  his  umbrella  or  roll  his 
chair  indoors  as  he  felt  inclined. 


But  perhaps  we  cannot  get  nearer  the  soul  of  the  old  man  than 
by  recalling  a  conversation  which  occurred  during  an  invasion  of 
the  children,  a  conversation  between  him  and  his  guests  which 
is  thrown  into  a  sort  of  rhyme  for  easy  memorizing,  passing  from 
one  speaker  to  another  without  more  than  the  natural  pause  for  reply. 

Obviously,  the  children  began  it : 

"  OK  Daddy  Do-funny, 

How  do  you  come  on?" 
"  Po'ly,  thank  Cord,  honey, 
Po'ly  dis  morn. 

My  ol'  spine  it's  sort  o'  stiff, 

An'  my  arms  dey  'fuze  to  lif, 

An'  de  miz'ry  's  in  my  breas', 

An'  I  got  some  heart-distress, 

An'  de  growin'  pains  dey  lingers, 

In  my  knee-j'ints  an'  my  fingers, 
But  I'm  well,  praise  Gord,  dis  morninY 

"  OF  Daddy  Do-funny, 
What  cuyus  talk ! 
How  is  you  well,  when  you 
Can't  even  walk?" 

"  Hush,  you  foolish  chillen,  hush ! 
What's  dat  singin'  in  de  brush? 
Ain't  dat  yonder  blue  de  sky? 
Feel  de  cool  breeze  passin'  by ! 
Dis  ol'  painful  back  an'  knee, 
Laws-a-mussy,  dey  ain't  me! 
I'm  wellt  praise  Qord,  dis  morin* !  " 

RUTH  McENERY  STUART. 


s,-^'  Jfr''      f&  V 

rtfrrs 


Daddy's  Weather  Prayer 

The  Old  Rooster 

The  Butterfly  • 

The  Wren 

The  Watermelon     . 

The  Gourd 

Judge  Owl 

The  Mosquito 

Confession 

The  Game' Cock 

The  Epicure    • 

The  Mule 

The  Grubworm 

Rain  or  Shine 

Little  Green  Tree-Toad 

Sparrows 

The  Fly 

The  Little  Chicken  - 


Page 

3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 


Page 

The  Scare-Crow      .                   .          .          .          .          .         .          .  21 

The  Yellow  Rose     ••••.....  22 

The  Ambitious  Cow .  23 

Tried  by  Fire            ••••.....  24 

Jack  O'  Lantern       .........  25 

The  Flea 26 

Will  o'  the  Wisp 27 

The  Mole 28 

The  Runt 29 

The  Monkey 30 

The  Aristocrat 31 

The  Crawfish                               .......  32 

The  Angleworm       .                   .......  33 

The  Chimney- Swallow     .          .          .          .          .                   .          .  34 

Catching  Doodle- Bugs        ...                   ....  35 

The  Porcupine                     .          .          ...          .          .          .          .  36 

Ants .          .37 

The  Parrot •          ...  38 

The  Rattle-Snake 39 

The  Persimmon         .          ........  40 

In  Harness       .          .          .          .          .          .          ,          .          .          .41 

The  Canary     .                             42 

Answering  Back                           .          .          .          .          .  43 

Dat's  De  Way  My  Lady'll  Do                     44 

The  Mammy  Alligator 46 

The  New  Rich  47 


Page 


The  W.bbly  Wabbly  Calf 
The  Turkey  Gobbler 
The  Cauliflower 

The  Step- Mother 

53 


The  Frog 

The  Rat 

The  Mocking- Bird 

The  Mushroom 

The  Measuring  Worm 

The  Top- Knot  Hen 

Too  Familiar 

The  'Possum 

The  Owl 

The  Chameleon    -  62 

63 

The  Caterpillar 

Dr.  Drake  - 
The  Peacock 
The  Alligator 

The  Terrapin 

68 
The  Dandelion       . 

The  Cud 

The  Mirror  .  7° 

r  ...        71 

Goslings 

The  Pet 

The  Guinea- Hen 

The  Moon  •  •       .  •  •  74 


Page 

The  Hen-Roost  Man 75 

A  Guilty  Conscience     . 75 

The  Bat        .....         .         .         . 77 

Incubator  Chickens         ........         .  78 

The  Firefly  . 79 

The  Thistle  .         . 80 

The  Gray  Squirrel                   81 

Look  Out  for  Mister  Bee      V 82 

The  Rose     .......                  ...  83 

The  Locomotive           .i        .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  84 

The  Goat     .                  .         .         ....         .         .         .  85 

The  Fig ....  86 

The  Frizzled  Chicken .  87 

The  Endless  Song          .         .         .         .         .         .         .         .  88 

The  Eel       .                ". :        .        .  90 

The  Rain-Crow .  91 

The  Giraffe          .        .        ,        .         .                 .         .         .        .  92 

The  Black  Sheep           ...                 ....  93 

The  Prize- Winner 94 

The  Dog      . 95 


DADDY  DO-FUNNY'S 
WISDOM  JINGLES 


DADDY'S  WEATHER  PRAYEK 


One  asks  for  sun,  an'  one  for  rain, 
An*  sometimes  bofe  together ; 

I  prays  for  sunshine  in  my  heart, 
An'  den  forgits  de  weather. 


THE  OLD  ROOSTEK 

Ef  de  hoa'se  ol'  rooster  wouldn't  crow  so  loud 
He  mought  pass  for  yo'ng  in  de  barn-yard  crowd; 
But  he  strives  so  hard  an'  he  steps  so  spry 
Dat  de  pullets  all  winks  whilst  he  marches  by. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


'/// 


THE   BUT    ERFLY 


Sis'  Butterfly  aimed  to  work  all  right, 
But  'er  wings  dey  was  heavy,  an'  'er  head  too  light 
So  she  riz  in  de  air,  'ca'ze  she  see  she  was  made 
Jes'  to  fly  in  de  sun  in  de  beauty  parade. 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


THE  WKEN 

She's  a  citizen-bird,  Sis  little  brown  Wren, 
She  nests  in  de  spring  an*  de  fall  again; 
"Race  suicide"  talk  nuver  fazes  her, 
'Ca'ze  she's  good  for  'er  ten  little  wrens  a  year. 
An'  she  ain't  by  'erself,  my  ladies,  in  dat- 
No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


THE  WATERMELON 

Oh,  Watermilion  sho'  is  good  to  eat! 
But  de  darkle  rates  it  twice-t  mo'  sweet, 
'Ca'ze  it's  ap'  to  b'long  to  de  yether  man, 
An'  it's  mighty  hard  to  HP  by  sleight  o'  han. 

An'  it  ain't  by  itself,  made  sweet  like  dat— 

No,  it  ain't  by  itself  like  dat. 


x/// 


THE  GOURD 

De  green  gou'd  on  de  sunny  shed 
Was  mighty  proud  of  his  pethy  head, 
So  he  nuver  pondered  or  studied  or  trained, 
An*  now  he's  ol'  an'  rattle- brained. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


Jedge  Owl  's  so  pompious  on  'is  limb, 
You'd  s'pose  dey  was  nobody  roun'  but  him 
He's  afeard  ef  he  was  too  polite 
You'd  ax  'im  whar  he  spent  de  night. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  MOSQUITO 

Wid  so  much  Christian  blood  in  'is  veins, 
You'd  think  Br'er  'Skitty  would  take  some  pains 
To  love  'is  neighbor  an*  show  good  will, 
But  he's  p'izenin*  an'  back-bitin*  still. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


10 


CONFESSION 

Dat  whale  wha'  gulped  Br'er  Jonah  down^ 
Was  bleeged  to  swim  closest  to  de  groun' 
Ontel  he  riz  up  an'  confessed 
He'd  swallered  mo'  'n  he  could  digest. 

But  you  ain't  by  yo'self,  Br'er  Whale,  in  dat- 

No,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


II 


THE  GAME-COCK 

Dey's  some  things  square  an'  some  things  round, 
An'  little  game  cocks  ain't  sol'  by  de  pound ; 
Dey's  weighed  by  sand  an'  pluck  an'  grit 
An'  de  number  o'  dead  dey  leave  in  de  pit. 

An'  dey  ain't  by  dey  selves  in  rank  like  dat- 
No,  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat. 


12 


THE  EPICURE 

Ef  you  keep  yo'  eyes  on  Br'er  Carrion  Crow, 
You'll  wonder  huccome  he  kin  carry  on  so! 
He  flies  in  high  circles  an'  chooses  meat 
Dat  no  honest  workin'-man  would  eat. 

An'  he  ain't  no  new  high-flyer  in  dat — 

No,  he  ain't  by  'sself  in  dat. 


13 


THE   MULE 

Ef  you  quiz  Br'er  Mule,  you'll  find  dat  he 
Gits  mixed  on  de  subjec'  of  'is  fam'ly  tree; 
He'll  brag  about  'is  mammy  with  a  noble  neigh, 
An'  deny  'is  own  daddy  wid  a  ginurie  bray. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


14 


THE  GRUBWORM 

Br'er  Grubworm  wrops  'isself  in  twine 
An'  swings  in  'is  shroud  on  a  evergreen  vine, 
Becaze  it's  mortal  death  dat  brings 
His  on'iest  chance  to  git  'is  wings. 

But  you  ain't  by  yo'self,  Br'er  Worm,  in  dat 

Oh,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


15 


RAIN  OR  SHINE? 

Ol'  Mingo,  on  'is  knees,  he  say: 
'Lord,  teach  dis  nigger  how  to  pray, 
Else  riconcile  two  kinds  o'  weather 
For  craps  an'  rheumatiz  together!'' 

But  you  ain't  by  yo'self,  ol'  man,  in  dat- 
Oh,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


16 


Little  green  tree- toad  on  banana  leaf, 

Plenty  po'  relations  all  aroun'  'im  in  de  bog ; 
But  he  d  ruther  be  blind  an'  dumb  an'  deef 

Dan  to  hold  a  conversation  wid  a  "low- life"  frog! 
But  he  ain't  no  lonesome  toady  in  dat — 
No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


17 


SPARROWS 


Dey  say  dem  Sparrers  come  crost  de  seas 

To  eat  our  surplus  grubs  an'  fleas ; 

But  dey's  whupped  our  birds  ofF'n  dis  plantation, 

Tell  we  craves  to  constric'  dey  immigration. 

An'  dey  ain't  by  dey  selves  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat. 


18 


THE  FLY 

Wid  dem  suctious  foots,  seem  lak  Br'er  Fly 
Mought  draw  down  health  ef  he  trod  de  sky  ; 
But  he's  so  onpartic'lar  whar  he  roams 
Dat  he's  got  'isself  screened  out  o'  quality  homes. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  outcas'  like  dat — 

No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  LITTLE  CHICKEN 

Little  yaller  fluff- ball  one  day  out, 
Steps  mighty  high  while  he  picks  all  about; 
Never  sees  de  egg-shell  layin'  in  'is  track, 
Much  less  the  little  piece  stickin'  on  'is  back. 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


20 


THE   SCARECROW 

Br'er  Scare- crow's  built  to  suit  'is  job 
Wid  flappin*  legs  an'  arms  dat  bob; 
He  ain't  got  brains  for  discontent 
So  he  works  widout  no  argument. 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat 
No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


2! 


THE  YELLOW  ROSE 

Dey's  a  sweet   plantation,  yaller-buff  rose 

Dat  in  my  ricollection  grows; 

In  my  ol'  dreams  she  seems  to  wait 

Whar  she  stood  an'  bloomed  by  de  love-vine  gate 

An'  1  ain't  by  myself  in  dreams  like  dat — 

No,  I  ain't  by  myself  in  dat. 


22 


THE  AMBITIOUS  COW 

Sis'  Twis'-horn  Brindle  is  a  bothersome  cow, 
She's  boun'  to  raise  a  ruction  an'  she  don't  keer  how; 
She  craves  to  be  de  bell- cow  an'  lead  off  wid  a  clang, 
So  it's  all  a  man  kin  do  to  make  'er  gallup  wid  de  gang. 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


23 


De  sugar-cane  stands  so  proud  an'  smart, 
You'd  nuver  suspicion  it  sweet  at  de  heart, 
But  to  prove  its  sweets  it  yields  its  will 
To  be  tried  by  fire  an'  ground  in  de  mill. 
An'  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
No,  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat. 


24 


JACICO'LANTERN 

Sence  he  los'  'is  brains  to  git  'is  smile, 

Brer  Jack-o-lantern  grins  lak  a  wilderin'  chile 

Widout  no  secrets  out  or  in ; 

An'  de  lighter  in  de  head  de  broader  'is  grin 
An*  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat— 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


25 


THE  FLEA 

Look  out  for  Mr.  Po'-trash  Flea! 
Ef  you  let  'im  come  in,  he  11  make  too  free 
He  11  chase  yo'  dog  till  he  makes  'im  pant, 
An'  he'll  take  yo'  skin  for  a  restaurant. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


26 


WILL  O*  THE  WISP 

Ef  de  Wul  o'  de  Wust  would  cuss  an*  swear 
An'  take  some  shape,  an*  rip  an'  tear, 
It  wouldn't  sen'  col'  chills  down  a  nigger's  spine 
Like  de  changeable  expression  of  a  mystery  shine. 

An'  it  ain't  by  its  ghostly  self  in  dat— 

No,  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat. 


27 


THE  MOLE 

De  blind  mole  tunnels  straight  ahead, 

An'  he  gits  whar  he  gwine  wid  a  trustful  tread, 

But  he  nuver  is  yit  got  nowhar  else, 

An'  he'll  nuver  view  de  skies  whar  glory  melts. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


28 


THE  RUNT 

You'll  sometimes  trace  de  loudes'  grunt 

In  de  horg-lot  down  to  de  littles'  runt, 

Lak  as  ef  he'd  'nounce  whilst  he  gulps  'is  swill, 

"A  pompious  horg  is  as  big  as  'is  will." 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  MONKEY 

De^  organ  plays  an'  Br'er  Monkey  struts, 
An'  he  takes  high  pride  in  de  capers  he  cuts, 
While  folks  draps  picayunes  into  'is  han' 
For  fallin'  so  short  o'  bein'  a  man. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself,  misled  like  dat — 
No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


30 


THE  ARISTOCRAT 

Dat  three- name  chicken  wid  de  feathery  legs 
Wha*  'merged  Pom  de  ten  dollar  settin'  of  eggs, 
Is  a  lonesome  bird  an'  I  s'picion  he  frets 
'Ca'ze  he  can't  outgrow  dem  pantalettes. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


31 


THE  CRAWFISH 

Br'er  Crawfish  th'ows  a  racklass  bluff. 

An'  he  sho  do  look  like  fightin'  stuff; 

But  turn  'im  loose  on  a  battle-groun', 

An'  he'll  bow  'isself  out,  an'  nuver  turn  roun' 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


32 


THE  ANGLEWORM 

"  I  could  stand  de  hook,"  says  de  angleworm, 
"An'  a  lily-brook  wouldn't  make  me  squirm, 
But  I  can't  help  wrigglin'  ag'in'  my  fate; 
It  breaks  me  all  up  to  be  used  for  bait." 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat— 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


33 


THE  CHIMNEY^SWALLOW 

Wid  'is  nest  in  de  flue  whar  de  suctions  blow, 
Storms  due  above  an'  fire  below, 
No  wonder  Br'er  Swaller  sags  an'  sways 
Like  a  pusson  ableeged  to  dodge  bofe  ways. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


CATCHING  [DOODLE-BUGS 

Little  picaninnies,  fishin'  in  de  doodle-bug  holes. 

Wid  a  "spit  for  luck,"  an'  straws  for  poles, 

Show  pyore  delight  in  de  fisherman's  aim 

All  disp'opo'tioned  to  de  game. 

An'  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat,  in  dat- 
An'  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat. 


35 


THE  PORCUPINE 

Sis'  Porcupine,  wid  'er  bristles  all  set 

In  a  pompado'  style,  is  waitin'  yet, 

An'  she  can't  understan',  whilst  she  puckers  'er  mug, 

De  sea' city  o'  kisses  an'  de  absent  hug. 

But  she  ain't  by  'er  lonesome  self  in  dat — 

No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


36 


Dem  Ants  is  sho'  got  savin'  ways 
An'  even  de  Scripture  'lows  'em  praise ; 
But  dey  hoa'ds  for  deyselves  f'om  day  to  day 
An'  dey  stings  any  man  wha'  gits  in  de  way. 
An'  dey  ain't  no  new  co'poration  in  dat 
No,  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat. 


37 


Sis'  Tin- cage  Polly  wid  de  roamin'  nose 

Dat  roams  Pom  'er  eyes  tel  it  p'ints  to  'er  toes, 

She  keeps  up  a  ratlin*  talkin'  pace 

To  turn  off  attention  f  *om  de  shape  of  *er  face. 
An*  you  ain't  by  yo'self,  Sis'  Polly,  in  dat — 
No,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


38 


THE   RATTLESNAKE 

Br'er  Rattlesnake  rattles  befo'  he  springs, 
But  he  warns  too  late  to  'scape  'is  stings; 
His  high-class  manners  don't  count  for  much 
'Ca'ze  dey  grafted  on  to  a  sarpent's  touch. 
An*  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


39 


THE  PERSIMMON 

Is  you  little  gals,  growin'  into  women, 
Ever  tasted  a  snappy  young  persimmin? 
It  takes  a  hard  frost  to  make  it  sweet, 
An'  it's   ol'  an'  swiveled  To'  it's  fit  to  eat! 

But  it  ain't  by  itself,  sharp  chillen,  in  dat- 

No,  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat. 


40 


IN   HARNESS 

Dat  flee- bitten  mule  an'  my  bay  mare 

In  de  hay-wagon,  sho  is  a  mixtious  pair ; 

But  dey's  pulled  so  long  th'ough  wind  an'  weather 

Dat  out  in  de  field  dey  graze  together. 

An'  dey  ain't  by  dey  selves  in  dat,  in  dat— 
An'  dey  ain't  by  dey  selves  in  dat. 


THE  CANARY 

De  Jittle  yaller  cage-bird  preems  'is  wings 
An'  he  mounts  'is  pyerch  an'  sings  an'  sings; 
He  feels  'is  cage,  but  I  s'pec*  he  'low 
To  take  what  comes  an'  sing  anyhow  ! 

An'  you  ain't  by  yo'self,  little  bird,  in  dat — 
No,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


42 


ANSWERING  BACK 

Br'er  Pole-cat's  got  a  s'ciety  smile 
An'  he  sho  is  dressed  in  scrumptious  style, 
But  he  keeps  'is  own  hat  off  de  quality  rack 
By  de  scan'lous  way  he  answers  back. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat— 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


43 


DATS  DE  WAY  MY  LADY'LL  DO 

It  ain't  how  many  eyes  you  got, 

'Les'  needles  could  see  an'  potatoes,  too; 
An'  "  hookin'  a'  eye,"  as  like  as  not, 

Would  be  classed  as  a  sin  dat  no  lady'd  do. 
But  it's  keepin'  yo'  eyes  turned  to'des  de  right, 
An'  to'des  de  wrong  jes'  shettin'  'em  tight — 
Lookin'  out  for  ways  to  be  polite — 
Dat's  de  way  my  lady'd  do  1 

It  ain't  how  many  ears  you  got 

Dat  makes  you  listen  an'  learn  an'  do ; 
Else  a  hill  o'  corn  in  a  garden  plot 

Would  be  'way  ahead  o'  me  an'  you ; 

But  it's  shettin'  yo'  ears  to  heartless  speech, 
An'  listenin'  whilst  de  teachers  teach, 
An'  strivin'  to  practise  mo'  'n  to  preach — 
Dat's  de  way  my  lady '11  do ! 

It  ain't  how  many  tongues  you  got, 

'Les'  shoes  would  talk  an'  wagons,  too; 
An'  all  de  bells  would  gabble  a  lot, 

An'  tattle  an'  brag  de  long  day  th'ough ; 

But  it's  gyardin'  yo'  tongue  Pom  talk  dat's  wrong, 
An'  passin'  a  helpful  word  along, 
An'  maybe  singin'  a  hopeful  song — 
Dat's  de  way  my  lady' 11  do ! 


44 


THE  MAMMY  ALLIGATOR 

de  mammy  alligator,  wid  a  motherly  grin: 
I  nuver  liked  babies  wid  dey  dimples  tucked  in, 
But  our  little  pet,  wid  its  horny  hide, 
Like  its  mammy's  an'  its  daddy's,  is  de  fam'ly  pride." 
An*  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An*  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat. 


46 


THE   NEW   RICH 

Sis'  Mush  A.  Koon  sprung  up  over  night 
An'  to  name  whar  she  sprung  f'om  ain't  polite; 
But  she  spreads    erself  wuss  n  me  or  you, 
An'  wid  on'y  one  foot  to  stan'  on,  too. 

An'  she  ain't  by  'er  new-come  self  in  dat— 

No,  she  ain  t  by  'erself  in  dat. 


47 


THE  WIBBLY  WABBLY  CALF 

Cunnin'  little  donkey  -  baby  — 

"Ye-haw!  Ye-haw!"    What  a  funny  laugh 
Soun'  jes  like  a  creaky,  cranky 

Seesaw  —  seesaw ! 
"Wasn't  nothin'  funny  roun'  dat 

We  saw — we  saw! 
'Tel  we  glimpsed  de  stagger-gait  dat 

He  saw — he  saw! 
Brindle  strikin'  swagger-gait  when 

She  saw — she  saw — her  wibbly  wabbly  calf! 


Den  we  j'ined  wid  Mister  Donkey, 

"Heehaw!  Heehaw!"    How  we^all  did  laugh! 
But  we  laughed  at  some'h'n'  mo'  dan 

He  saw — he  saw! 
Donkey  couldn't  see  de  ears  dat 

We  saw — we  saw  ! 
Rabbit  lopin'  down  de  road,  we 

Three  saw — three  saw! 
Wagged  his  ears  an'  called  him  daddy! 

"  Haw-haw!  Haw-haw!"    How  dat — who  dat  laugh? 
An'  de  last  to  see  de  joke  was  wibbly  wabbly  calf! 


THE  TURKEY^GOBBLER 

Ol'  Gobbly  struts  aroun'  de  stable 
An'  th'ows  out  hints  o'  de  rich  man's  table, 
An'  he  h'ists  his  tail  an'  spreads  it  wide, 
To  display  his  cuyus  graveyard  pride. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  pride  like  dat- 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


50 


THE  CAULIFLOWER 

When  de  cabbage  got  ambitiom,  in  a  uppish  hour 
An'  lost  'is  head  an'  bu'st  into  flower 
Wid  'is  brains  outside,  an  addled,   at  dat — 
He  sot  'isself  up  for  a  'ristocrat. 

An*  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An*  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


51 


THE  STEP^MOTHEK 

Sis'  Dominick  follers  her  brood  o'  ducks 

To  de  bayou's  edge,  an'  she  clucks  an'  clucks: 

'Dis  stepmammy  job,  oh  me,  oh  me! 

Ain't  all  dat  it's  quacked  up  to  be!" 

But  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


52 


THE  FROG 

Ol'   Br'er    Frog  ain't  much  to  sing. 
But  he  clairs  a  log  in  a  single  spring, 
An'  jedgin'  'im  by  his  bigoty  ways, 
He's  clean  forgot  'is  tadpole  days! 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


53 


THE  RAT 

Br'er  Kat  in  de  corn-bin  over- fed 
An'  under-worked,  an*  now  he's  dead; 
He  craved  to  live  lak  a  bloated  chief, 
An'  now  he  ain't  nothin'  but  a  ol'  dead  thief. 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  MOCKING-BIRD 


Br'er  mockingbird  sings  in  de  live-oak  shade, 
A  secondhand  chant  or  a  serenade; 
He'll  take  off  a  pa'tridge,  a  robin,  or  a  jay, 
But  he'd  nuver  make  a  name  no  other  way, 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  MUSHROOM 

Dey's  many  a  musharoon  good  to  de  tas'e 
An'  rich  for  de  table,  dat  goes  to  was'e 
'Ca'ze  folks  don't  dast  to  gether  it  in 
For  de  way  it  favors  its  dung- hill  kin. 

An'  it  aint  by  itself  condemned  like  dat- 

No,  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat 


56 


THE  MEASURING  WOKM 

When  Br'er  Measuring  worm  strikes  out  so  brave, 
Makin'  tend  he  kin  measure  you  for  yo'  grave, 
Wid  all  'is  stride  an'  all  'is  stren'th 
He  can't  measure  mo'n  'is  own  little  len  th. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  made  cheap  like  dat— 

No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  like  dat. 


THE  TOPKNOT  HEN 

Hit's  a  proper  pride  in  Sis'  Top-knot's  breast 
Dat  makes  'er  step  to  march  'er  crest; 
Yit  jalousy  rollers  'er  Voun'  de  shed 
On  de  count  o*  dat  innercent  tufted  head. 

An.'  she  ain't  by  'erself  pursued  lak  dat — 
No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


58 


TOO  FAMILIAR 

De  cantelope  gits  mighty  bilious 
F'om   runnin'  wid  punkins  too  familias, 
So  it's  banished  out  for  its  sociable  sin 
Along  wid  its  yaller  kitchen  kin. 

An'  it  ain't  by  itself-  in  dat,  in  dat— 
An'  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat. 


THE  'POSSUM 

Br'er  'Possum  makes  pertend  he's  dead 
Whilst  shots  goes  whizzin'  over  'is  head, 
But  time  de  hounds  is  out  o'  sight, 
He's  up  an'  "hongry  for  a  fight!" 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  a  bluff  like  dat— 

No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


60 


Who— ooo— ooo—  I!  HI 


61 


THE  CHAMELEON 

De  camelia-lizard  is  a  tunvcoat  man, 

An*  he  borries  his  colors  where  dey's  "room  to  stan'"; 

He  mought  keep  solid  as  a  county  candidate, 

But  you  couldn't  sca'cely  find  'im  on  a  map  o*  de  State. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  lost  out,  like  dat — 

No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


62 


THE  CATERPILLAR 

Whilst  she  eats  de  groun'  Pom  onder  'er  feet, 
Sis'  Caterpillar's  weavin'  'er  windin'- sheet; 
But  'er  red  eyes  shine  an*  'er  grass-green- hair, 
An'  'er  short  life's  bright,  so  she  don't  care. 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


DR.  DRAKE 

Ol'  Dr.  Drake  wid  'is  college  waddle 

An'  Latin  inscriptioms  on  'is  noddle, 

Would  part  wid  'is  gait  an'  'is  shimmerin'  back 

To  perscribe  a  crowin' -powder  an'  nuver  say  "  Quack !  " 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE   PEACOCK 

Br'er  Peacock  'lows  he's  a  'ristocrat, 
Wid  mighty  fine  clo'es,  an'  vain  at  dat; 
He'll  answer  yo'  glance  wid  col'  surprise 
An'  look  you  over  wid  a  thousan'  eyes ! 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  ALLIGATOK 

Br'er  Alligator  kin  grin  a  mile, 
But  dey  ain't  no  inducemint  in  his  smile; 
Whilst  he  ain't  no  race- horse,  yit  dey  say 
A  little  alligator  goes  a  mighty  long  way. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat- 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


66 


THE  TERRAPIN 

Br'er  Tarrapin  draws  in  'is  head  so  knowin', 
You  can't  tell  whether  he's  comin'  or  goin', 
But  his  mind  ain't  mixed — he's  lay  in'  low 
Tel  he  sees  which  way  he's  obleeged  to  go. 
An'  he  ain't  no  new  politician  in  dat — 
No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


67 


s 


\ 


THE  DANDELION 

De  dandelion  flower  blooms  out  so  young 
Wid  a  look  in  its  face  like  a  sassy  tongue, 
Den  it  grows  light-headed  wid  self-conceit 
Wid  a  flighty   ol'  age,   for  full  defeat. 

An'  it  ain't  by  itself,  pert  chillen,  in  dat- 

No,  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat 


68 


THE  CUD 

Life's  give  an'  take,"  Sis'  Cow,  she  laugh. 
So  I  gives  my  milk  an'  dey  takes  my  calf." 
An'  when  contentment's  hard  to  fin', 
She  chaws  'er  cud  to  ease  'er  min'. 

And  you  ain't  by  yo'self.  Sis'  Cow,  in  dat- 
No,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


THE  MIRROR 

Br'er  Donkey,  drinkin'  at  de  brook, 

Surveys  hisself  wid  offish  look, 

An'  'low :  "  You  Jackass  makes  too  free ! 

Huccome  you  dast  to  drink  wid  me ! " 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat- 
Oh,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


70 


GOSLINGS 

De  purty  yaller  goslin's  say: 

"Oh,  what — oh,  what's  de  use! 
When  Mama  say,  'Come,  walk  dis  way 
An'  ac'  jes  like  a  goose ! ' 

Oh,  what's  de  use — oh,  what's  de  use? 

I's  boun'  to  grow  a  noddle, 
Like  every  goosey,  goosey,  goose, 
An'  waddle,  waddle,  waddle! 

"  But  Mama  say :  '  Don't  talk  dat  way ! 

Come,  waddle  like  a  mild  goose, 
F'om,  side  to  side,  wid  proper  pride — 
Not  like  a  woodsy  wild  goose! 
Dey's  plenty  use — dey's  plenty  use! 

Come,  git  yo'  education ! 
See  how  to  waddle  an'  tote  yo'  noddle 
Accordin'  to  yo'  station  ! ' ' 


71 


THE  PET 

De  little  white  chicken  dat's  petted  too  much 
Gits  stunted  in  growth  f  om  de  sp'ilin'  touch. 
An'  she'll  nuver  make  a  hen  so  brave  an'  good 
As  ef  she  went  a-pickin',  an'  worked  wid  de  brood. 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


72 


y/ 


THE  GUINEA-HEN 

Sis'  Guinea,  in  proud  week-day  clo'es 
Forgits  how  she  was  hatched  outdo' s ; 
Wid  'er  red  boot  chicks,  she  cuts  a  dash, 
An'  calls  'er  neighbors  "Pd  trash!  Pd   trash!"' 
But  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat— 
But  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


'The  guinea-fowl  strays  away  from  home  and  makes  her  nest  in  the  fields.  The  newly  hatched  guinea- 
chicks  are  beautiful,  dainty  things,  with  coral-colored  feet  which  look  very  fine.  The  guinea's  cry.  loud  and 
harsh,  sounds  like  "Potterack  !  "  or  "Poor  trash  I  " 


73 


THE  MOON 

Dey  say  Sis'  Moon  daresn't  shine  at  night 
Cep'n  by  Marse  Sun's  allowance  o'  light, 
An'  whilst  he's  away  whar  de  yether  moons  are 
She  don't  even  dast  to  wink  at  a  star. 

An'  she  ain't  de  onies'  wife  like  dat — 
No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


74 


75 


A  GUILTY  CONSCIENCE 

Dat  little  yaller  pup  's  got  so  many  lickin's 
For  pesterin'  all  de  ducks  an'  chickens, 
Dat  whenever  he  hears  any  barn^yard  strife, 
He  looks  over  his  shoulder  an'  runs  for  's  life. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

No,  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


76 


THE  BAT 

Br'er  Bat  flaps  out  in  de  gloomin'  dark, 
An'  even  ef  he's  boun'  for  a  harmless  lark, 
He  favors  de  devil  an'  he  keeps  sech  hours 
Dat  he  seems  in  cahoot  wid  de  evil  powers. 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


INCUBATOR  CHICKENS 

Dem  inkybator  chickens  dat's  hatched  by  de  clock, 
Wid  a  lamp  for  love,  is  lonesome  stock; 
Dey  feeds  in  droves,  but  dey  envies  de  others 
Dat  scratches  for  grubs  wid  any  ol'  mothers. 

An'  dey  ain't  by  deyselves,  po'  orphans,  in  dat — 

No,  dey  ain't  by  deyselves  in  dat. 


78 


THE   FIREFLY 

Br'er  Lightnin'-bug  is  a  gay  yo'ng  spark 
But  he  nuver  is  yit  put  out  de  dark; 
He  shines  for  'isself  in  '  is  zigzag  flight, 
An*  he's  middlin*  sho  he's  de  sou'ce  of  light. 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat— 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  THISTLE 

De  thistle- sta!k  sends  up  a  noble  bloom 

Wid  de  shape  of  a  flower  an*  de  thought  of  a  plume, 

But  its  prickle-y  ways  turn  friendship  down ; 

So  it  stands  all  alone,  in  its  velvet  gown. 

An'  it  ain't  by  its  lonesome  self  in  dat — 

No,  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat. 


80 


THE  GRAY  SQUIRREL 

De  gray  squir'l  lives  a  nachel  life, 
Wid  friends  an'  foes  an'  chillen  an'  wife; 
But  whenever  he  gits  his  picture  took, 
He  snatches  dat  nut,  to  appear  in  de  book. 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


LOOK  OUT  FOR  MISTER  BEE 

Look  out  for  Mister  Bee  in  de  punkirv  flower ! 

Plenty  gallinippers  in  de  grass ! 
Mighty  close  tie  'twix'  wings  an'  stings 
Better  let  de  honey-bee  pass ! 

Z-Z-Z,Z,Z! 
Better  let  de  honey-bee  pass! 

White -face  bumblebee — white  folks'  ways — 

Never  give  a  sassy  answer  back ! 
But  don't  you  trus'  de  black-face,  no  matter  what 

he  says ! 
Give  de  nigger  bumblebee  de  track! 

Z-Z-Z,Z,Z! 
Give  de  nigger  bumblebee  de  track ! l 


1The  white-faced  bee  does  not  sting. 


82 


THE   ROSE 

When  Sis'  Kose  th'ows  open  her   heart  too  proud, 
She  blooms  mighty  brief  in  Beauty's  crowd; 
'Ca'ze  the  rains  beat  in  an'  de  bees  make  free 
'Tel  de  heart  o*  de  rose  is  sad  to  see. 

An'  you  ain't  by  yo'self.  Sis'  Rose,  in  dat — 

No,  you  ain't  by  yo'self  in  dat. 


83 


THE  LOCOMOTIVE 

Dey  say  Sis'  Ingine's  fiercest  scream 
Don't  mean  nothin'  but  lettin'  off  steam, 
But  wid  so  much  wrackage  behin'  'er  back, 
Seem  like  she  say :  "  Git  out  o'  my  track ! " 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself,  old  Mis,  in  dat — 
No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


THE  GOAT 

No  matter  how  much  she  strive  to  'spire, 
Sis'  Nannie  Goat's  measured  'g'inst  some'h'n'  higher; 
First  cousin  to  a  sheep"  an'  "de  po' man's  cow," 
Is  hol'^down  luck,  come  when,  come  how. 

An'  she  ain't  by  'erself  helt  down  like  dat— 

No,  she  ain't  by  'erself  in  dat. 


85 


De  fig  dat's  "sweet  enough  to  eat" 
Is  sweet  enough,  but  not  too  sweet; 
But  de  honey-lip  fig  in  de  blazin'  light 
Is  a  battle-ground  whar  de  varmints  fight. 
An*  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  it  ain't  by  itself  in  dat. 


86 


•// 


/,\^/l 


THE  FRIZZLED  CHICKEN 

Dat  frizzledy  chicken,  he  steps  so  spry, 
An'  he  totes  'is  head  so  pompious  high, 
Like  as  ef  he  tries,  wharever  he  goes, 
To  rise  above  dem  rough-dried  clo'es. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


87 


THE  ENDLESS  SONG 

Oh,  I  used  to  sing  a  song, 
An'  dey  said  it  was  too  long, 
So  I  cut  it  off  de  en' 
To  accommodate  a  frien' 

Nex'  do',  nex'  do'— 
To  accommodate  a  frien'  nex'  do'. 


But  it  made  de  matter  wuss 
Dan  it  had  been  at  de  fus, 
'Ca'ze  de  en'  was  gone,  an'  den 
Co'se  it  didn't  have  no  en' 

Any  mo',  any  mo' — 
Oh,  it  didn't  have  no  en'  any  mo' ! 

So,  to  save  my  frien'  from  sinnin', 
I  cut  off  de  song's  beginnin' ; 
Still  he  cusses  right  along 
Whilst  I  sings  about  my  song 

Jes  so,  jes  so — 
Whilst  I  sings  about  my  song  jes  so. 

How  to  please  'im  is  my  riddle, 
So  I'll  fall  back  on  my  fiddle ; 
For  I'd  stan'  myself  on  en' 
To  accommodate  a  frien' 

Nex'  do',  nex'  do' — 
To  accommodate  a  frien'  nex'  do'. 


THE  EEL 

Br'er  Eel  got  a  mighty  jewbious  name, 

But  maybe  he  ain't  so  much  to  blame; 

He  couldn't  squirm  out  ef  he  nuver  ventured  in, 

An'  he  resks  his  all  when  he  resks  his  skin. 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


90 


THE  RAIN^CROW 

Br'er  Ranvcrow  sho  kin  prophesy, 
Caze  he  reads  his  wisdom  f'om  de  page  on  high 
His  mind  ain't  clogged  wid  secondhand  facts, 
But  de  moon  an'  de  skies  is  his  almanacs. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


91 


THE  GIRAFFE 

!  Br'er  Gy-rafFe  don't  make  no  pertense 

I  O'  not  seein'  over  'is  neighbor's  fence, 

j  An'  ef  he'd  listen  close- 1,  I  'spec' 

!  He'd  hear  somebody  say :  "  Rubber- neck  !  !  !  " 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
But  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


MJf  ^  fl   ^ 


92 


THE   BLACK  SHEEP 

De  black  sheep  says,  "Oh,  what's  de  use 
To  shun  de  mire  an'  de  muddy  sluice  ? 
For  whether  1  walks  for  praise  or  blame, 
Dey'll  call  me  '  black  sheep/  jes  de  same ! " 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat- 
An'   he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE  PRIZE-WINNEK 

Dat  Berkshire  horg  in  de  blue  ribbon  pen 
Come  home  wid  de  heavy-weight  prize  again 
He  looks  mighty  pompious  in  'is  stall, 
But  he's  on'y  a  fat  horg,  after  all. 

An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat,  in  dat — 
An'  he  ain't  by  'isself  in  dat. 


THE   DOG 

I  can't  talk  dog  an'  he  can't  talk  man, 
Yit  Rover  an'  me,  we  onderstan'  ; 
I  wag  my  tongue  an'  he  wags  'is  tail, 
An'  Love  explains  whar  grammars  fail. 

An'  we  ain't  by  ourselves  in  dat,  in  dat- 
No,  we  ain't  by  ourselves  in  dat. 


A 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN     INITIAL    FINE    OF    25     CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  FOR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


1933 


ffic.  CIR. 


JAN  2  / 


LD  21-50m-l,'3 


